King’s son applies for his first Thai ID card and passport

Political adviser Chompoonute “Cherie” Nakornthap reported in her Facebook post that Vacharaesorn got his first Thai identification card and had also applied for his passport. She did not say where or when that happened.

Her post on Friday included a still photo of her taken with the King’s son at an unidentified place that appears to be a district office. Another photo shows Vacharaesorn’s height being measured by an official at an undisclosed state office.

An accompanying video clip shows Vacharaesorn having his fingerprints scanned on a device – a process for people applying for a new passport.

Vacharaesorn, 42, who is fondly called “Than On” by Thais, has spent most of the past 27 years abroad, residing in the United States.

He returned to Thailand on December 4 for his second visit this year to attend the national Father's Day celebrations on December 5. During his previous visit in August, Vacharaesorn came with his younger brother Chakriwat, who is known as “Than Ong”.

On this second visit, Vacharaesorn went to sample some dishes at Jay Fai’s, a roadside eatery famous for receiving a Michelin star two years in a row.

In his Facebook posts, he also briefly reported about his trips to many places in provinces not far from Bangkok, including Samut Songkram, Chachoengsao, and Ang Thong, as well as the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom. These included a mangrove reforestation project in Samut Songkram, Sarnelli House in Chachoengsao, and a school in Ang Thong.

Chompoonute was a former policy adviser to the minister of social development and human security and she is also secretary of the Democrat Party’s Committee on LGBT and Human Rights.